Rethinking the governance question
October 14. 2025
By Elvis Kintu Nsonyi
Los Angeles, California
A dangerous myth is creeping into our political culture belief that anyone can lead simply because leadership is for the people. But governance is not a choir where everyone must sing, nor a village gathering where anyone can grab the microphone. Leadership is a craft. It demands intellect, preparation, moral clarity and courage.
The debate over whether political leadership is a preserve for the elite or not is as complex as asking whether leadership belongs to the rich or the poor. My early lessons in political education were clear on qualities of a good leader; financial stability, eloquence, exemplary etc. But this message is easily twisted by the very constituencies that matter most, the poor and the illiterate. They may misread it as exclusion, yet their numbers decide elections.
Another heated debate is whether leadership is a calling. Throughout history, people have turned down leadership roles. This is not out of fear, but out of honesty and respect for their limitations. Even in the animal kingdom, leadership exists, though all animals may appear equal but nature itself acknowledges structure. From my academic sociological lens, society is naturally stratified. Even without formal politics, families and communities have natural leaders who mobilize, mediate or take decisions.
In the Church, certain parishioners command moral authority without any ballot. Leadership flows to those prepared to carry it. As a Catholic, I look at how Daniel influenced royal decrees because he was distinguished in wisdom and understanding. Ignorance has never been celebrated in the Bible. Even King Solomon, when offered anything, asked for wisdom, not popularity.
While at Bukalasa Minor Seminary I studied history of the ancient and medieval world. Here, late Msgr. Henry Kyabukasa taught us how rulers in Athens and medieval Christendom governed with scholars and theologians by their side. That partnership birthed constitutionalism governance anchored in law, reason and learning.
Modern constitutions including that guiding the Parliament of Uganda are designed for people who can read, interpret and debate laws. The real work of Parliament doesn’t happen on TV cameras in plenary, it happens in committees where leaders must digest audit reports, budgets and legal texts. Illiteracy here is not just a personal gap; it’s a national risk.
Yes, the uneducated can be great leaders in their own fields. A person may run a company, employ people and succeed. But political leadership is a different ball game. In 2018, together with Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, I visited the office of Brad Sherman, a U.S. Senator and saw how demanding it is to govern in modern democracies. It became crystal clear why Plato and John Locke warned against handing power to the uninformed. Governance is not a talent show; it is a moral and intellectual contract with the nation.
I was later shocked when I visited the UNGA at their Headquarters in New York. With the seriousness, the side events, there is no business for anyone who is lackadaisical or illiterate even when there are interpreters. This does not diminish the value of non-literate citizens. But a skilled mechanic may not make a good legislator, just as a brilliant legislator may not make a good mechanic. A nation thrives when each vocation is respected, not confused.
In summary, leadership is not a prize for enthusiasm. It’s a responsibility for those who learn, unlearn, and relearn. A country that glorifies ignorance will eventually be governed by it and pay the price in equal currency. The prophets of old spoke truth to power because they understood power. The reformers who built modern democracies studied systems before they changed them. Let’s stop lowering the bar of leadership to make it popular. Instead, raise the bar of preparation to make it effective.
Leadership, like medicine, law or engineering must be entrusted to serious, educated and morally upright actors. Anything less is national suicide.
